Brookins removed from Siena’s roster

Rakeem Brookins, the Siena men’s basketball player arrested earlier this month on felony burglary charges, is no longer on the team.

The sophomore guard from Philadelphia has been removed from the roster on the school’s official athletics website.

“The players you see listed on the roster are the current members of the team,” Siena assistant athletic director for communications Jason Rich said.

It is not known if Brookins remains enrolled in school.

Brookins faces second-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny charges after police allege he was found with another student’s wallet.

Brookins allegedly told police he was drunk and went to buy marijuana but then stole his dealer’s wallet. He also told police he used the victim’s debit card to buy gas for teammate Trenity Burdine’s car.

Burdine hasn’t been charged in the incident, and he remains on Siena’s roster.

Brookins started 17 games for Siena this past season, but his career had been sidetracked by injuries and off-the-court issues. He missed an entire season because of recurring back problems, and he was suspended for three games this past season for what the college called “a violation of athletic department policy.”

Pete Iorizzo

24 Responses

Very disappointing that a Siena player would get involved in something like this. I’d love to know whether scholarship athletes are tested routinely for illegal drug usage. If not, they should be. I don’t think it’s asking too much that scholarship athletes are required to participate in periodic urinalyses. As a retired member of the armed forces, I was, for over 20 years, and never considered it an imposition or a violation of my rights. I considered it a privilege to be able to serve, and I would hope that any student-athlete fortunate enough to be given a scholarship would view his/her situation similarly.

No suprise. Very disappointing, as I believe Brookins, if healty, could have had a nice remaining career and helped the team on Coach Patsos. I always liked the Philly toughness that he brought to the basketball floor. I hope the young man uses this situation as a wake up call and gets his act together. Young people make dumb mistakes especially while under the influence. I wish him the best of luck in his future.

I hope Brookins and Burdine get their lives in order before things get worse for them. Given that Brookins “manned up” on the theft, getting his act together may be a distinct possibility. Sincerely, good luck to him in doing so.

I think Burdine deserves a chance. He could be a good kid that was brought down by Brookins and a lack of leadership from the previous coaching staff. He’s got two strikes against him, next incident he is gone but I’ll still hold out hope that Patsos can get him to get his act together. Also, I would make him earn his scholarship for the 5th year both on and off the court this year. I’m not a fan of taking away scholarships from kids but nothing says you have to give them 5 years just cause they redshirted.

Bad mistake. Big mistake. Expensive mistake. Hope you land on your feet Rak. You seemed like a good kid who made some bad decisions. Don’t give up on getting your degree just because of basketball not being there. Do what you have to do. If you get it done, it will help you later down the road. It will show some employer your determination to make some changes in your life and follow through on finishing your education after this costly mistake. Don’t let this mistake define your future. Good luck.

Really? Does this surprise anyone, should it. As far as Burdine, kid will be on a short leash, Brookings not a good role model, seems Burdine is more a follower. For those who wish to turn the roster over Hynes will probably be gone also. He will not be satisfied with backup role, more importantly was it implied to him that perhaps he should seek another school. We all will see.

0325 student athletes are routinely given random drug tests by the NCAA at every level of college sports. In addition a school’s athletic department can do a random test any time they suspect a problem.

Leave Burdine alone. He’s a talented basketball player who, I believe, is honestly trying to turn his life around. College can be a roller coaster ride for a lot of people, and Trenity is one of them. Give him a break. He’ll be fine.

Does this really surprise anyone? Really, it was in the so called tea leaves. School just needed some time to let things die down. Will Hynes be back? Will he be willing to come off the bench and play under control? Bigger question does Pastos want him.

As far as Burdine, jury still out. The bad influence is now gone. Seems Mr Burdine Is a follower anyway. Pastos will probably give him another strike, and be assured he will be watched very closely.

This is part of an article in the Fairfield Mirror.
Not sure why the TU hasn’t picked up on it.

Stags eye a new conference

More than 30 years after being one of the six schools who founded the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Fairfield officials are eyeing a switch for their varsity teams.

“Everyone who makes a move does so with the desire to be in a higher level conference,” Fairfield’s Athletic Director, Gene Doris said. “All schools always seek to better themselves, as do conferences.”

Asked about when such a move might happen, he added, “A school only applies when an invitation is extended.”

What’s behind a switch?

Such a move wouldn’t be unheard of in the current times of conference changes and dismemberment. Traditional rivalries, like the ones in the Big East, are no longer.

When making a switch, it is important for schools to make sure that the schools in the prospective conference match not only athletically, but also in terms of school size, budget and whether the school is private or public.

“A conference move is a long term commitment,” Doris said, “Finances have to be viewed in the long term when weighing costs versus benefits.”

The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) is a rumored favorite. James Madison University, Northeastern University, University of Delaware, Drexel Universtiy, George Mason University, Georgia State University, Hofstra University, University at North Carolina Wilmington, Northeastern, Old Dominion University, College of William and Mary, and Towson University are the current members

Saints fans are such homers and fanboys.
Burdine is not worth the aggravation.
New blood is needed in the program.
He has been part of the losing mentality.
Injury prone and off court problems means he needs a change of scenery.
Allow him to transfer with a waiver to play immediately.

21. roundball1… you seem to call Siena homers almost weekly. And then only state you opinion on something without providing any facts or details. Would be great to hear you definition of a homer, know who your team is and see you post something of subtance once in a while. In terms of Burdine, guess you weren’t following him at the end of the season to see the the turn around, improvement and impact he was making?

RB has called me a no-nothing homer previously but i guess that doesn’t put me in select company.

I and we can only hope Burdine makes better use of this opportunity than he has of those given him in the past. I thought he was playing with more focus and drive late in the year and hope he shows a similar turn around in the classroom.

We all have to remember that these are kids who make mistakes at times and can be sidetracked and fall prey to bad influences. Also that many young. people wake up and turn their lives around after a mistake or two or even a period filled with mistakes.